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Chinese man with alleged ‘spy’ equipment nabbed near Comelec
Authorities arrested a Chinese man with supposed "spying" equipment spotted near the Commission on Elections (Comelec) building in Intramuros, Manila, with the National Bureau of Investigation not ruling out the possibility that any data acquired could be used to affect the upcoming elections.
In John Consulta’s report on “24 Oras” on Tuesday, a surveillance video of the National Bureau of Investigation-National Capital Region (NBI-NCR) showed two Chinese men arranging the equipment they believed to be used for spying over the weekend.
“We are not discounting the possibility na magagamit itong nakuha niyang data [that the data it has obtained could be used] to affect our elections. Whether they will use the data to influence the outcome of our elections, we cannot say for sure. But we are going in that direction,” said NBI NCR Regional director Ferdinand Lavin.
The NBI observed the suspects' movements for five days and made its move on Tuesday as the suspects were about to change vehicles.
During the operation, one of the suspects was arrested.
Authorities also found an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) catcher that can gather sensitive data and information like text messages, mobile numbers, and calls from mobile phones near it.
“Umiikot sa government facilities natin [at] Comelec na ang iniikutan na nila ngayon. Remember, na fast approaching ang ating eleksyon. Di natin alam kung ano pakay nila,” NBI director Jaime Santiago.
(They went around to government facilities and the Comelec. Remember, our election is fast approaching. We don’t know their motive.)
Authorities also recovered three SIM cards, mobile phones, and other gadgets in the car.
When GMA Integrated News asked the Chinese man, he said he did not know what the equipment was used for. The man is in the Philippines on a tourist visa. Authorities are still searching for the other Chinese man.
Comelec chairperson George Garcia said there is no need to worry since there is no election data in the Comelec headquarters.
He added that the Comelec conducted a test and its system was not compromised.
The arrested suspect was brought to the NBI-NCR headquarters, as well as the confiscated IMSI catcher which will undergo a digital forensic analysis.
He will face a complaint for violating the Access Device Act and the Cybercrime Prevention Act. — Mariel Celine Serquiña/BM, GMA Integrated News
For more Eleksyon 2025 related content and updates, visit GMA News Online's Eleksyon 2025 microsite.
